NJPW notes: Future programs, YOSHI-HASHI, Bullet Club

A number of new programs were started earlier this morning at New Japan Dash.

The theme of the main event centered around the return of YOSHI-HASHI to the promotion, who had been gone since September with a bad concussion following a bad fall. Despite the big return, he was pinned by Jay White in a six man tag team match main event.

White made it clear after the match that he was targeting Hiroshi Tanahashi’s newly won IWGP Heavyweight title. Bad Luck Fale laid out Kazuchika Okada with the grenade after he tried to make the save for Tanahashi, who was attacked by Fale, Gedo and White.

Meanwhile, Suzuki-gun’s targets for 2019 are Los Ingobernables de Japon, who currently hold the bulk of New Japan’s titles. Taichi made Naito’s next program crystal clear, hitting him with a steel chair to kick off a ten man tag team match featuring the two groups. Taichi stunned everyone by pinning Naito with the black mephisto (air raid clash), setting up a future title match.

The Rev Pro tag team champions Zack Sabre Jr. and Minoru Suzuki attacked new IWGP tag team champions SANADA and EVIL after the match, while former El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru attacked new Jr. tag champions Shingo Takagi and BUSHI, setting up title programs in both divisions.

In addition, Yuji Nagata and Tomohiro Ishii had to be pulled apart after their tag match, while Hirooki Goto and Jeff Cobb also exchanged words.

The only angle of the show involved Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens. After leaving Hangman Page and Marty Scurll to dry during Wrestle Kingdom 13’s pre-show, they made it clear where their allegiance lies after helping the Guerrillas of Destiny and Taiji Ishimori retain the NEVER six-man tag team titles, pushing Togi Makabe off the top rope with Chase Owens leaving Togi Makabe lying following the package piledriver. Both Owens and Yujiro celebrated with the Bullet Club after the match, rejoining the stable.